Steering-gear-rocker-shaft-lubricating means.



D. E. RUSS. l STEERING GEAR ROCKER SHAFT LUBRICATING MEANS.

APPLlcATmN man ocT. 23. 1914.

Lmmm. Paten-ted Ju1y10,1917.

.squares PATENT @WMM IDAVID E. IIR/OSS,4 0F LA FAYETTE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO ROSS GEAR lAND TOOL COM- JPANY, UF LA. FAYETTE, INDIANA, A CORPORATION 0F INDIANA.

STEERING-@EnanocxEa-sHAFT-LUBRICATING MEANS.

maaier,

Specification of Letters luatent.L

Application iled October 23], 1914. Serial No; 868,172.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID E. Ross, a citizen of the United States, residing'at Iia Layette, in the county of Tippecanoe and State of Indiana, have" invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steering-Gear- Rocker Shaft Lubricating Means; and I hereby declare that the following is a'full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form. part of this specification.

This invention is a novel means for supplying lubricant to shafts and the like, be-

ing especially designed for use in connection with automobile-steering gears for oiling the rocker-shafts thereof, through which vshafts motion is transmitted from the steer-- oilingconnections for, or` attachments to,`

the 'rockershaft.v

Considerable trouble with steerlng-gears is caused by the rocker-shaft galling and binding in its bearingsfor lack of lubrication. Ihe ordinary steering gears have no provision for oiling suchrocker-shafts except as the oil may exude from the inside ofthe ,easing into the `shaft bearing. lIn some steering gears the rocker-shaft is drilled axially and a grease cup is attached to the outer end of such bore, .and lateral holes are also drilled in the shaft so that the oil en tering from the grease cup can 'pass from the central bore through the lateral holes to the bearing surfaces. Such construction has many disadvantages, the principal one being that the greasecup is located where it is not visible nor readily accessible and the operator usually forgets to fill it.

` By my present invention the rocker-shaft designed; but the invention when once unyderstood can be readily adapted to other forms of shaft bearings, and is not restricted to rocker-shafts.

Iwill explain theinvention as embodied in the construction illustrated in the drawings; and the claims summarize the essential novel 'features and novel construction of parts for which protection is desired.

In said drawings- Figure l is'a sectional view of a steering rammed Juny io, iai v.

gear having rocker-shaft oiling devices in accordance with my invention.

2 is an enlarged detail transverse section on line 2 2, Fig. 1.

4Fig. 3 is "adetail longitudinalsectionlof' the bearing with the shaft removed.

Fig. L i,is a transverse section on line 4 4, Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the bushing detached.

1 designates the casing of a steering gear of any suitable construction, and is shown as provided with a lateral tubular extension 1a forming a bearing for ,the rocker-shaft 2, which is journaled transversely of the casing and fitted in the bushings 3 and 3a therein..-

The rocker-shaft 2 is provided on its outer end with a crank 2a; and within the casing may be provided with crank fingers or members 2b which .may .be engaged with a reciprocating member 4 that can be operated by usual means, not shown, transverselyof shaft 2 so that the movement of this member 4 imparts a rocking motion to the shaft 2. The means however for imparting rockingl motion to the shaft 2 forms no part of the present invention and may be of any desired construction.

As stated the shaft 2 ordinarily'depends vso for lubrication either upon the possible leakage of oilv from the casing 1 through the journal bearing of the shaft; or the shaft is bored and connected with an supply.

In my invention the bore of the bearing l, in which the bushing 3 is fitted, is preferably longitudinally grooved, as indicated at 5, such grooves being preferably about 60 degrees apart around the circumference of `the bushing 3. rIhe bushing 3 may be cylin:

dric for the greater portion -of its length but near its outer end it is shown as provided with projections 3, corresponding in cross section to the crosssection ofthe grooves or slots 5 and extending a short distance,say one-fourth to one-half an inch, inward from exterior oil the outer end of the bushing. The bushing 3 should have a close, or press, fit Within the- `bore of the bearing 1a and When completely inserted therein the projections 3 enter and close the outer ends of the grooves 5, see Flg.

4. The inner unobstructed portions of thel grooves 5 communicate with the interior of the gear Jcasing at the inner end of the bushing, (see Figs. 1 and 3,) andpform oil conduits or channels extending from the interior of the casingv nearlyV to theouter end of the bushing.

- The bushing 3 is perforated radiallyat as -31 at points in line With the.A projections 3;

and when the bushing is inserted in place the perforations 3d communicate with the unobstructed portions of the grooves 5 and thus oil can ypass directly from the interior of the casing l through the grooves4 5 and the perforations 3c1 onto the exterior surface of the shaft journal Within the bushing, and thus thoroughly lubricate4 the shaft in its bearing;

OrdinarilyA the rocker-shaft, in the construction shown in the'drawings, oscillates or rocks aboutrO degrees, and the grooves 5 and perforations 3d should be made about 60 degrees apart, circumferentially of the shaft, so that the entire circumference of the shaft journal will bethoroughly lubricated within the bushing.

1t Will be noted that the parallel grooves in the housing are closed at their outer ends 4by the projections on the bushing, so that Vwhile the oil can lfreely pass through the grooves to the perforations in the bushing it Adoes 'not escape from -the grooves. With this construction the shaft is lubricated from the inside of the gear-casing instead of from the outside.

The' number and arrangement of grooves in the bearing and perforations in the bush- `ing can be varied, and the grooves could I ings.

rocker-shaft bearings, andthe same Will remain lubricated as long as oil is supplied to the interior of the casing.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a housing having a bore provided with longitudinal grooves, a bushing fitted in said bore and closing the inner sides ofsaid grooves, said bushing also having projections adapted to close one end of the grooves and provided with openings communicating vvith the slots, and an oil supply` communicating with said grooves.

s 2. In combination, a tubular bearing having longitudinal grooves in its bore, a bushing fitted in said bearing and closing the inner sides of the grooves and having projections on one end closing the outer ends of the grooves, and said bushing also having perforations communicating with the grooves to permit How of oil from the grooves into the bushing, and a shaft journaled in said bushing. l

3. In combination with a steering-gear casing having a tubular bearing for a rocker-shaft, said bearing having longitudinal grooves in its bore communicating at their inner ends with the casing, a cylindrical bushing fitted in said bearing and closl-ing the bores radially and having radial projections on one end engaging and closing the outer ends of the grooves; said bush- 1ng also having radial perforations communicating with the grooves to permit flow of oil from the grooves into the bushing, and a rocker-shaft journaled in said bushing.

4. In a rocker shaft bearing, the combination with a casing having a bearing extension, a shaft journaled therein, a sleeve bushing fitted in said bearing extension around said shaft, said bearing extension belng provided with longitudinal oil supplymg grooves through` its inner surface communicating With the interior of the caslngat their inner ends, and` said bushing havlng radial oil apertures communicating .with said grooves and supplying oil to the shaft, and plugs for closing the outer ends of the grooves, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID E. ROSS. Witnesses:

EDWARD A. Ross, GEO. C. KUMMING. 

